Is Creatine Helpful For Weight Loss?

Creatine. You've all heard the word before. But not many know what it actually is. Creatine is made up of three amino acids (amino acids are the building blocks of protein). These three amino acids are glycine, arginine, and methionine. Many use creatine as a supplement to build muscle, in the form of powder, pills, and even in a liquid form which is dispensed by an "eyedropper."

Ok, so how does creatine help in losing weight? Don't worry, I'm going to get to that, but first you must understand how it actually works. Well, how creatine works is this: When you take the creatine supplement, creatine saturates your muscle cells. This creatine that is now in your muscles, attracts water in your body, causing your muscle cells to fill up with water. In order for your muscle cells to accommodate this new amount of water within them, they have no choice but to expand. This translates to larger, stronger muscles.

But I'm a woman, I don't want big, bulky muscles! Don't worry, the only way that is going to happen is if you are taking in more than enough calories, lifting heavy to gain muscle, and taking the same amount a bodybuilder would take. Plenty of women take creatine, and are not bulky at all, rather they are toned; the way most women prefer to look.

Any who, getting back to the point, the muscles will be larger than before. Now, since bigger muscles require more calories to maintain their new size (remember, this doesn't mean huge, just larger than before), your muscles will have no choice but to rob your fat stores for the necessary calories to maintain their size. This is how creatine will help with weight loss!

Also, if you are on a diet, one of the hardest things to do is to keep your current size/definition, (ladies, remember, don't be nervous by the word size). Another reason to take creatine while dieting. Creatine will help you keep your current size, while burning fat only, rather than fat and muscle for energy to fuel your workouts.

What kind of creatine should I take? Since there are so many different types on the market, I will elaborate to help you narrow down your choices.

Creatine Monohydrate
Most commonly sold in a white powder form, very chalky in taste and texture, creatine monohydrate is the first and oldest type of creatine invented. Creatine monohydrate is generally used by people seeking gains in muscle mass (ladies, believe me, this is not the type of creatine you are looking for). The problem with creatine monohydrate is that it is known for gassy stomach problems as well as bloating. So although your muscle may get larger, it will be very difficult for you to get definition with that size, if you are like most people. Also, with creatine monohydrate, you have to go through what is known as a "loading phase," in which you must take around 4 scoops (roughly 20 grams) of it per day for your first four days on the product. After, you can take only 2 scoops or roughly 10 grams for a period of 6 weeks or so, then you must load up again and so on and so forth. This process is known as "cycling" a supplement.

Creatine ethyl ester
A newer form of creatine, creatine ethyl ester is sold in pill form (a popular brand known as "CE2"), as well as in powder form (another popular brand known as "Cell Mass"). The rage about creatine ethyl ester is that it provides all the benefits of creatine, without having to go through a loading phase, no bloating, and no stomach problems. Depending on your genetics, diet, and workout program, the effects of creatine in general will have different effects for each user.
Creatine alphaketoglutarate (Creatine AKG)

This particular creatine supplement is one that has worked the best for me personally. Creatine AKG is your traditional creatine supplement, however, it has what is called AKG attached to it. AKG is almost like a car that drives the creatine straight into your muscles, to saturate them as much as possible. This means you will be getting the most out of your creatine supplement. Also, Creatine AKG boasts zero bloating and zero stomach problems just like the creatine ethyl ester. A popular brand of Creatine AKG is known as "Anavol."

Well, I hope this article helped you make the decision to start supplementing with creatine for weight loss, and ladies, I hope after reading this, you realize that creatine is recommended for you too. Remember, for the guys, you will usually be taking the full-recommended dosage of creatine, lifting heavy, and eating big if you are seeking muscle mass. Ladies, you obviously are not going to take the full-recommended dosage, eat big, or lift heavy, unless you are a bodybuilder of course.
Yours in health,
James Hallmark

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Hallmark

5 Natural Supplements to Aid Weight Loss

There are many reasons that the majority of American adults are now overweight or obese, but the failure of mainstream weight-loss approaches is too important to overlook. And as millions of chronic dieters can attest, losing weight is more complicated than simply eating well and exercising, so it is perfectly normal to look for supplements and other alternatives to help with weight loss. The trouble is that many of the easily accessible, often faddish weight loss supplements have inconsistent results at best, so anyone who is serious about being healthy in a natural way must look elsewhere.

Natural supplements can be hard to find, but they have many benefits other supplements lack. For one thing, they are not as harsh as many of the other types of supplements, meaning you can take them without worrying your health will be damaged (though it is always a good idea to talk to your doctor before starting any type of supplement). Plus, natural supplements rely on tried and true wisdom that has been passed down through the centuries and comes from all over the world.

Mainstream medicine is often skeptical toward these things, but people who actually use them know that they work.

There are many natural supplements that can help with weight loss, but let us start with five that are popular right now.

1. Fish oil: The element of fish oil that is most beneficial is its omega-3 fatty acids. When you see the word "fatty," you might think that this sort of thing should be avoided when you are losing weight, but omega-3 fatty acids are the best kind of fats. They help you burn your other fats efficiently and reduce your food cravings.

2. Glucomannan: Glucomannan, which comes from the konjac plant that grows in east and southeast Asia, is a relatively new supplement to Westerners, so its benefits are not definitively established. Preliminary research has however shown that it does have the benefit of reducing the appetite and blocking the absorption of bad fats. The supplement is still difficult to find, but it is typically available at modern health food stores and can be easily ordered online.

3. Green tea extract: Green tea contains a type of antioxidant that boosts metabolism and stimulates the burning of fat. This is of course in addition to the many additional benefits that green tea, especially its antioxidants, is said to have. And unlike many of the other most beneficial natural supplements for weight loss, green tea extract is relatively easy to find, often available even at your mainstream supermarket.

4. Chitosan: Chitosan is a sugary fiber that comes from the exoskeletons of lobsters and other crustaceans. Its primary effect is to block the absorption of fats and cholesterols, but its effectiveness as a weight-loss supplement suggests that it has other benefits that are yet to be discovered. Of course, there is a down side to this mystery-there is a potential that chitosan has side effects that we do not yet know about.

5. Reishi mushroom: Reishi mushrooms have traditionally been used in Chinese medicine to fight fatigue, as well as for other purposes. While its benefits have not been scientifically studied in the West, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence suggesting that taking the supplement does indeed help you stay on target with a healthy diet and exercise regimen.

Lisa Pecos contributes regularly to the Natural Health Journals. She's a strong believer in using natural products, especially when one needs help for little tummies.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_Pecos

Healthy Weight Loss Tips: Lose Stress, Lose Weight

You don't have to get knocked off of your diet and weight loss plan just because you are stressed. Your family from all angles may be placing undue pressure on you; the kids may be fighting or have failed a major exam in school, while your boss and coworkers are pushing you to the breaking point. The daily grind ought not to deter you from achieving your weight loss goals.

Stress can wreak havoc on your weight loss plan because it greatly increases the production of cortisone, which interferes with your body's natural insulin production. Cortisone sends a signal to your brain to increase your appetite for sugar. Thus, high carbohydrate foods trigger the release of insulin, which in turn triggers the brain to release cretonne. Cretonne is the body's natural "feel good" drug for your brain. This is the science behind everyone's favorite comfort foods. When you reach for comfort food, it physically and mentally puts you in a comfort zone, at least in the short-term. Think back to your childhood, your parents or guardians would give you sweets and other less than healthy food to comfort you when you had a bad day in order to cheer you up, and it would work.

With this in mind, you must take control of your urges. The simplest way to keep from gorging on comfort food, a candy bar, ice cream, or other sugary sweet, is to keep it out of the house. If you don't have the food around you, even if you are tempted to break your reduced calorie meal plan, you can't because it isn't available to you. Instead, you should keep your kitchen packed with healthy snacks. You can make your own trail mix (it's cheaper if you buy the ingredients in bulk and mix them yourself), or keep a fresh supply of fruit and vegetables at arm's length. You should be focused on getting good calories in your body and keeping saturated fat and oils out, even if we are talking about your comfort food.

You can also take measures to avoid stress. If you know you're going to have a stressful day or week, make sure you get a good night's rest. Sleep is vital to keep from gaining weight, but it will also help you deal with stress and anxiety. When you don't get enough sleep, the body endures physiological stress, increasing fatigue which can cause weight gain. Stress reduction and weight loss depend on the body resting. Listening to soothing music throughout the day or at sleep time can also reduce stress.

Other measures to reduce stress and aid weight gain are to go on a long walk, going to the gym to exercise, and taking some personal time. Certainly, walking and exercise are important for sustained weight loss, but often overlooked is personal time. Personal time, your own time, can be as little as ten minutes or an hour, but you need to focus on you and your needs if you want to accomplish your goal of long-term weight loss. Sustained weight loss can't be moved to the back burner, weight loss is a lifestyle change, so in the vein, your meal and health choices must be made with weight loss in mind. Commit to the change because it is definitely worth the effort.

Author R. W. Jonathan publishes a blog on Weight Loss and the Best Weight Loss Supplements
Also available from the author is a review of a leading fat burning supplement Phen375

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=R._W._Jonathan

Drop a Dress Size In 2 Weeks With These Simple Weight Loss Tips

If you really think it over, losing weight doesn't take a huge amount of time. It's just maths and you can even follow a formula. Basically, you burn more calories than you take in. That's the basic formula to losing weight. Here are a few tips that will help you drop a dress size in just 2 weeks.

1. Are You Ready to Commit?
If you're serious about losing weight you really need to ask yourself, are you ready to commit? This is the time to iron out those excuses. You're gonna have to make time for exercise, diet, going to the gym. You'll need to re-structure your life to accommodate your quest for weight loss. If you don't, in 2 weeks from now you'll be in the same place.

2. Are You Ready for Your New Diet?
A low fat, healthy diet is essential if you're going to lose weight. What you eat and how often you eat it is incredibly important. A rough guide to how much you should eat is about 7 calories per pound of your body weight.

Example: You weigh = 250 pounds / You eat = 1750 calories a day.

Important: Never eat less than 1050 calories a day as it's not safe to do so.
Eating lots of fruit, vegetables, egg whites, fish, boneless skinless chicken breasts, turkey breasts will help put your weight loss into overdrive. It's important that you eat enough protein to ensure you only lose fat and not muscle. Choose simple foods, a long list of ingredients on the food packaging should be a warning sign of high sugar, salt and processed foods that are contained within.
The less processed the food, the better it is for you. You'll also need to go through your kitchen and get rid of any junk food that might lead you astray during the 2 week period.

3. Are You Ready for Exercise?
There's no way around it, weight loss demands exercise. If you're gonna drop a dress size in 2 weeks you're gonna have to crank it up a notch. If you've already got an exercise regime in place you'll have to re-look at it and make sure it is enough to reach your goal.
The best results come from both strength and cardio training, with cardio needing to be done every day in combination with strength training 3 times a week. A good tip is to do interval training. This involves a minute of mild exercise followed by a minute of peak exercise. Doing this will help burn more calories. If it's possible, try and workout 2 times a day to drop those pounds more quickly.

4. Are You Ready to Get Started NOW?
If you really want to lose that weight and drop a dress size in 2 weeks, now is the time. Not tomorrow, not next week or next month but NOW! Get serious and get things underway. It's totally possible!!!

Get yourself focused, committed and into the mindset and before you know it you'll get the results you've been craving. I'm not gonna lie, it won't be easy but it will most definitely be worth it!!!

For over 30 years our Weight Loss Clinics London & professionals have been providing specialist weight loss programs & treatments to thousands of clients in & around the London area. If you need a weight loss clinic in London Kings Weight Loss Clinics are definitely for you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Griffin

How to Lose Weight? - Some Diet, Exercise and Homeopathy Tips for Losing the Extra Flab!

"Losing weight" seems to be on the New Year agenda of most people. Among 10 people I asked "what your New Year resolution is, more than 6 people answered that they want to lose weight and get into shape! Well, not a bad trend, right? But why today particularly the younger generation admires being thin so much? Probably the ramp-models have the answer. The size zero is quickly becoming popular and even the middle aged moms are trying hard to fit in the jeans of their twenties. Is it the right thing or we need to think more?

Let's see-
One thing is sure that having extra flab on the body is not a healthy sign. Flab means fat, not muscle. Therefore, losing this flab should be the priority no doubt. Lesser the activity level, more one should worry for the flab. Yes! Read the sentence carefully. Today scientists have found a great positive relation between health and activity level. Regular the exercise, lesser are the chances of ill-health relatively irrespective of your weight. 

But one should also understand here that more the weight, lesser is the activity level in many cases (due to inability to move faster) and this further contributes to high fat. How to halt this vicious cycle? Can we?

The answer thankfully is YES!

If you were lean, thin and healthy in your twenties, you have every right to remain so in your mid-forties and thereafter too. What exactly goes wrong? Many women think that childbirth is the culprit that contributed to their flab. Many men think their highly stressful job is the reason. But the fact is that despite child birth and stressful jobs, there are men and women that can maintain ideal body weight and live healthy life. So, why can't we? We can too!
What can be done?

• Steer clear of myths-

(1) We should follow strict diets if we want to lose weight- The foremost pre-requisite to idealize your weight and health is not to fall prey to the rumors. You must have seen (or done yourself) many people staying just on either bananas, hot water, soups, or 'just' vegetables for days together! This is one of the top myths that eating less will reduce your weight. It will not. It will just weaken your immune system and make you vulnerable to graver diseases. So firstly, stop any such staple diets if you are following. Our body needs enough quantity of all ingredients of diet including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, and trace elements to be able to cope with the wear and tear. Only-carbohydrate or Only-protein diets might help for a temporary duration to reduce weight (you tend to reduce muscle mass too during the process and not just fat). But once you wean off these diets, you tend to put on more weight, because obviously you cannot follow such stipulated diets for life (I hope you do not; otherwise...hats off to you!)

(2) Having just 2 full-meals per day- Many elderly are happy because they feel we are eating just two times a day and not recurrently. This is another myth that makes us fat. When you leave larger gaps between your meals, you obviously tend to eat lot more than can be properly digestible. Therefore, the excess sugars and proteins tend to get converted into fat and it deposits beneath your skin and in the arteries (leading to atherosclerosis)

(3) Eating fat-less diets can reduce weight- remember that fat is also an essential element of diet. Just we need to take it in stipulated quantity not to exceed beyond limits. Have seen many patients who deprive themselves of fat completely. What they get in turn is the shriveled old-looking skin. Fat is the natural moisturizer and toner for your body and therefore essential. Just reduce the excess quantity you eat and it will not affect you detrimentally.

(4) Joining the gym is the only way to lose weight- well, here we are not belittling the importance of gym exercises but let's not make it the rule. There are many ways of exercise by which you can stay fit. Rather, in many cases, some of the gym exercises are harmful for certain people. People with joint problems and cardiac disease should exercise great caution while joining the gym. More than that, stipulated kind of exercises for weeks and months together reduce the interest. Instead, engaging ourselves in different types of exercises keep our motivations alive for longer (probably this is what we need the most). You can jog, swim, dance, or cycle your way to health!

• Treatment Regimes for losing weight-

(1)Lose your weight homeopathically-
We homeopaths always stress the importance of homeopathic treatment for weight reduction. Here I am not advertising any patent homeopathic medicine for weight loss. We are talking about classical homeopathy. Does it help? Yes, it helps in lot more ways than we anticipate. The major reason why homeopathic medicines help in weight reduction is their ability to act on mind.
"Mind" plays a very crucial role in maintaining or enhancing your weight. It is mind that makes you stressed and you tend to eat more or less. It is the mind that makes you dull to start your exercise regime. It is mind that encourages you too to take the issue of obesity seriously and do something constructive about it.

And homeopathy helps in all these aspects to shape your mind and make it do what needs to be done. It is not exaggeration. Have seen absolutely lazy patients take up exercise regimes scrupulously once they are on constitutional homeopathic treatment, because of the ability of homeopathic remedies to act on higher planes. Same goes true for maintaining ideal diets.

The homeopathic medicine also helps the person to tide over the hormonal imbalances that contribute to excess weight. Therefore, when a patient of hypothyroidism and/or polycystic ovarian disease starts homeopathic treatment, the apparent edema on the body disappears gradually and makes the patient fitter to achieve his or her goals.

(2)Exercise-
As discussed above, there is no option to exercising your way to health. If someone tells you to follow a regimen that excludes exercise for weight loss, they are lying to you! Try to inculcate variations in your regime not to get bored and feel energetic for years to come. Adding this component to your day to day life is the most rewarding experience you can give your body, mind, and spirit. Couple it with relaxing techniques and your benefits get doubled!
Some auxiliary tips for losing weight-

1. Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of plain water per day
2. Have enough fiber, for it will boost up bowel health and avoid constipation. Also it is one of the sure shot ways to delay ageing
3. Recognize bodily deficiencies and seek natural supplementary help from an expert
4. Eat frequent small meals (preferably 2 to 3 hourly)
5. Be consistent in your regimens. To make that happen, set smaller goals and reward yourself when you accomplish them
6. Some meditation techniques help a great deal in stabilizing one's absurd eating behavior and providing the essential motivation to do your best
7. Steer clear of the myths and don't fall prey to heavy advertising of patent diet pills, unless you verify their authenticity via an expert

May the year 2011 bring lots of happiness, health and fitness for you to stay for life!

Dr Shreya Deshpande is a senior homeopathic consultant of India and is running Online Homeopathic Consultation at http://www.drshreya.com. She has penned several articles and papers regarding homeopathy and is a popular homeopath and a health counselor globally. Watch her health blog at http://www.drshreya.blogspot.com for interesting health info!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shreya_Deshpande